Friday, December 10, 2010

Why Pinoy Komiks Are Much Cheaper Than What People Think.

The following is another repost of a Facebook Note by Gilbert Monsanto. View the original, including comments, here.

A guy asked me how much is a copy of my comicbook. I said, sixty pesos only. He'd go, ang mahal na ng komiks ngayon no? He is not alone in thinking that Pinoy komiks nowadays are expensive. A few months ago I received an email, a guy was insisting that komiks should be priced cheaper, ten pesos even less. He said that's how low he can afford it to be. I told him, we can do that but we have to time travel back to 1996 then. Because today, it is just not possible... at all.

Let me try and explain why this is so. Imagine you are an independent creator. You'll be needing things for you to produce your very own comic book:

Content- This is basically everything you'll be putting inside your title. From cover to back cover.

-Cover art

-articles, editorial page and such.

-interior pages

(around 36 pages standard numbers of pages including cover.)

Printing- reproducing the actual books.

and you are ready.

-photocopy (let's start small)

Okay, so let's start the computations then. If you intend to print just a plain one color book using photocopies. Then That's easy. 1.50 per face. 36 pages divided by 4 (2face) =9 x 3.00= 27.00

If you like the colored cover version. I think the cover is already like 15pesos per face ad that to 24 pesos, equals 39.00

From here you'd think nice, I can sell that for 60 bucks and maybe I can earn a profit.

But wait, we are forgetting something here. Can you guess? Yup. It is the production cost. Yes, the author and the artist is the seller yes. But does it mean, what he wrote and drew is for freeeeee?

Okay, different artists means different rates. So let's start small again. Let's say an amateur's work is at a minimum. Like 100 or 200 per page? 200 x 32= 6,400.00

12,700 divided by a hundred is 127.00 per comic book. He will sell this for 60pesos at the convention. Now tell me is it still expensive for you? You may argue that if he sold a thousand copies of these then he'll be earning more and will cover all the expenses. This is true, but are you seeing young indie titles selling more than a hundred at conventions?

The cost for putting these on bookstore for distribution, (legwork, fare and all) are not yet included.

Still think Komiks are expensive?

Now picture this using my rate :) You'd probably realize what you are buying from us is actually a gift. And if you do? Thanks!

NOTE: Katarungan sa Pilipinas komiks making contest rules have changed! We are now making it an editorial cartoon contest, and deadline has been extended to December 16. You can work on it over the weekend! If you're interested in joining and want to know the details, please email me with your real name and contact details at komiksadvocate@yahoo.com Thanks!

edgArt.Supplies

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